From the Editors: Keeping the flu virus at bay in the UAE an imperative

KEEPING THE FLU VIRUS AT BAY IN UAE IS ALSO AN IMPERATIVE: The onset of winter in the UAE usually sees an increase in the number of influenza cases. With the COVID-19 virus also still in circulation in a section of the population, having enough protection against both the viruses – flu as well as COVID-19 – is an imperative. Although the recent months have seen a drop in the number of influenza cases in UAE, doctors have advised that people who belong to the vulnerable categories, such as children below the age of five, adults above 65 years, pregnant women, and women upto two weeks of giving birth, must be vaccinated against the influenza virus. The flu vaccine is now available at all health facilities in the UAE. While the fight against the bigger danger of COVID-19 continues in right earnest, let us not miss out on the obvious and routine safety procedures such as vaccination against the flu virus.[COMMENT BY: Sanjib Kumar Das, Assistant Editor]

SUDAN ESCAPES ATTEMPT AT DESTABILISATION: Sudanese authorities have said that they have thwarted a coup attempt. Witnesses said elements of the military had used tanks to close a bridge connecting Khartoum with Omdurman early on Tuesday morning. This development is an alarming one, as it comes at a time when Sudan is just finding its bearings after the tumultuous events of the past few years. A power-sharing deal between the military and civilians is just about holding, and the situation remains fragile. Sudan has taken big strides, radically changing its foreign relations and aligning itself more with the current global order. An attempted coup at a time like this could be hugely detrimental to all the efforts made in the past few years. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

ENGLAND’S PULLOUT OF PAKISTAN TOUR TO DISAPPOINT CRICKET FANS: The cancellation of England men and women’s cricket tour of Pakistan, late on Monday, will surely come as a disappointment for the passionate fans of the country. It comes barely days after New Zealand abandoned their series over security concerns – though the credibility of the threat still remains debatable. What’s encouraging is that David White, CEO of New Zealand Cricket (NZC), is hopeful of finding a window for the cancelled white ball series as their captain Kane Williamson said that it should not come in the way of international teams shunning Pakistan again. Cricket simply cannot afford to lose Pakistan’s cricket fans! [COMMENT BY: Gautam Bhattacharyya, Senior Associate Editor]

SHILPA SHETTY KUNDRA’S RAINBOW ENDING? Hours before Indian businessman and producer Raj Kundra was released from Arthur Jail in Mumbai in connection to the pornography racket case, his actress-wife Shilpa Shetty Kundra put up a telling post on her Instagram account. “Rainbows exist to prove that beautiful things can happen after a bad storm,” posted Shetty Kundra. The borrowed quote was undoubtedly dramatic and cheesy, like most Bollywood potboilers, but there’s a smidgen of honesty about it. It has not been an easy ride for Shetty Kundra who went about her work commitments in a pragmatic manner. Their lives were scrutinised and dissected to its last detail, but Kundra seems to have held it together. While she hasn’t made any comment on her husband’s arrest and claims that she was unaware of his shady business dealings, Shetty Kundra’s latest post on rainbows seem to suggest that she will be a part of Kundra’s life – even if it’s tainted. [Comment BY: Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Assistant Editor - Features]